When I first heard about The Summit Project I knew it was going to be something special, something that I needed to be a part of. What I did not realize was just how much of an impact it was going to have on me, and how it was going to leave a permanent mark on my heart. As a Marine Corps veteran I understand what it means when someone makes the ultimate sacrifice for their country. I knew that was a possibility when service members chose to go on a great adventure and to see the world. That view is the only one I have ever known. That all changed for me the day I stood on the front steps of the Fourteenth Street School in Bangor and had a conversation with you, Lynn. It was during our conversation that day and realizing that you had just recently lost your son that my view changed. The Marine felt pride and respect for Brandon and his sacrifice, as a mother my heart broke for you. When I left the school that day with my girls safely strapped in the backseat of my car I had such mixed emotions. I have heard them say that they want to be like me when they grow up, that they want to be a Marine. I used to think I was all for it, but now I was torn. How would I feel when the time came? Would I let them fly away with a smile on my face and fear in my heart as so many mothers do?

It was at the grand opening of the Student Veteran’s Lounge at the EMCC campus that I first had the pleasure of meeting Major David Cote and learning of TSP. It was on that very night I told him to sign me up. It was shortly after that I asked for Brandon’s stone. I can’t explain it other than to say “It HAD to be him.” This sweet young man with an infectious grin that I had never met, yet his loss had brought about a change in me that shifted to my very core. The mixture of pain and pride in your eyes was something that struck me so deeply. It was on those steps I stopped thinking like a Marine. I have always wanted to be a mother. I would like to think that I am a good one. But I have never known one who has lost her child in combat. You were my first connection to what could have been my story if the tables had been turned. You could have been my mother with a loss so deep that it left an empty space that felt void of light. The weight of it, the weight of Brandon’s loss that you and Mark, your entire family carry with you every day. You and your family became the face of all the families out there suffering with the same losses. I HAD to do something! This felt like something that I could do for you and for him, for you all. I learned everything that I could about Brandon. I joined his Facebook page, watched videos that were posted, read the book called Hero Birds that you suggested. I looked at his pictures every day. He was even my screensaver at work. I wrote in a journal, I wrote to Brandon. I told him about my countless squats and pull-ups trying to get ready for the hike. I wrote to him about how disappointed I was that this winter seemed to never end because I wanted to get in some practice climbs before the big day. I wrote to him after I was able to hike Mansell Mountain in SW. Harbor with my mother and aunt in preparation of TSB and how good it made me feel. I told him that I hoped it would be enough to get me up that mountain. That I WOULD get up that mountain for him and you if it was the last thing I ever did.

What I realized during this time getting ready for the hike and learning about Brandon is that we were very much alike. Brandon had very strong connection to family. Family is everything to me. I need my parents and family now in my life more than I ever thought possible. As I listened to you both speak about receiving phone calls from Brandon when he was away from home I was transported back in time to countless late night phone calls to Maine just to hear familiar voices. I remembered how excited I was to see letters or packages with Maine return addresses, how a bag of Humpty Dumpty Barbeque chips brought me more joy than finding a $100 bill on the street. I learned that Brandon had a nickname, “Mighty Mouse” I had one too of course, though in school it was “runt” and for being small. Learning that Mighty Mouse came from his call sign and how he was always running around doing a million things at once with efficiency I smiled from ear to ear. I pride myself on my multi-tasking techniques! This was my kind of kid! His friends made him a shirt with a Mighty Mouse on it and put his face on it; Brandon went with the “Mouse” call sign and embraced it. He did this even though it wasn’t something super cool like “Ice Man” or “Maverick”, he did this because he was a young man who loved what he did and loved the guys that he worked with and they obviously loved him. I took this “Mighty Mouse” and had my cousin Jacob who owns OG pressmore in Virginia make up some “Mighty Mouse” shirts for me. It was of “Mighty Mouse” flying up a mountain carrying the American flag. I wanted to wear it for Brandon. I wanted to have a little of that spunk to help fly me up that mountain. I wanted to be a “Mighty Mouse” for him.

When the weekend of the hike finally came I was beside myself. I couldn’t believe that it was finally here. I was finally going to get to do this thing that I had been training for and emotionally trying to prepare. However, there was no amount of emotional preparation that could have gotten me ready for what was about to unfold. I have never witnessed anything more powerful than this group of strangers all working together towards this one common goal, to honor Maine’s fallen. It started during the drive north and seeing all of the signs welcoming TSP along the way; the warm welcome we received when we walked through the door at the Twin Pines. The unbelievably powerful moment when the Patriot riders arrived carrying the stones, the sound of the bikes, the bagpipes playing. It was like a flood, a sea of black and steel headed towards us, the rumble, I could feel the tears streaming down my face but there was nothing I could do to stop them. I had never been so happy and blown away at the same time. Then, in the middle of the pack I saw a red jacket, it was David. The creator of it all and he was smiling. It is amazing! Once everyone came to a stop we were all welcomed by David. The poor guy must have given thousands of hugs over this entire weekend. The Patriot Riders had parked their bikes and were standing in front of us and all I wanted to do was to find Brandon. I had been waiting so long to finally hold his stone. I spoke with the riders and welcomed them asked how the ride was. There were smiles on everyone’s faces. They asked me if I was looking for someone and I told them I was looking for Brandon, within seconds I was introduced to the carriers of his stone, Jim and Terri-Lynn Cressey. What sweet amazing people they were. It felt like family, like we were all connected through your beautiful boy. We talked and posed for pictures and became friends. This is what TSP has done. It has brought together so many people. It has made so many connections that will never go away. Brandon’s story, your story, all of our hero’s stories has touched us all.

Team Red was the first group to head to Owl. We all met in front of the River Driver and loaded into the vans to head up to the starting point. The one thing that I noticed right off was that I didn’t hear one person complaining about it being early. Actually, I never heard anyone complain about anything physical the entire weekend. This weekend wasn’t about our physical discomfort. Spirits were high and we were ready. When we started out on our journey we walked at a steady pace. I did my best to stay towards the front of the pack. I remembered that Brandon lived life at a “fast pace” and I wanted to honor that. The Owl has some pretty steep places and I have some pretty short legs. We worked together as a team, there were always hands held out and no one was left behind. Friendships were forged while honoring our fallen heroes, people brought together with by a common goal. It was simply beautiful to watch it unfold. When I felt that weight on my back and legs it was only physical. I kept thinking to myself “My pain is nothing compared to the pain of Mark and Lynn. Carry it away for them, just carry it away. Brandon died doing what he loved. He was flying. It was a life of adventure.” When we reached the summit we placed the stones on a flat rock. It was kind of a make shift alter. We each spoke of our Hero and what we were doing this for or thinking about while hiking. Then, we loaded up our precious stones and headed back down the mountain. Once back at Twin Pines we were met by the families of the fallen. I spoke about my feelings during the hike and of this entire journey with The Summit Project from start to finish. I spoke of what it felt like to have felt a shift in my heart; the shift from Marine to mother and how my view had changed. Sure, I still love my time in the Corps and I have no regrets whatsoever. I knew the risk I took for my adventure and I thought it would never happen to me. Just as I am sure Brandon knew the risks but never in a million years did he think that it this would be his fate. This hike up Owl was for Brandon; but it was for you too. I know in my heart that there is truly nothing that I can do to take away the pain in your hearts. I tried to carry some of the weight of Brandon’s loss away for you to a higher place, a place closer to him. Please know I tried.

Dear Mark and Lynn,
My wife and I had the honor of carrying Brandon’s memorial stone for The Summit Project from Portland to Millinocket. When we left our home in Arundel it was cold and drizzling. We arrived in Portland to the same. There was a very nice presentation of the stones to those carrying them by the Boy Scouts. After doing the Pledge and a short prayer we were on our way. When had stops in Gardiner and Bangor. When we arrived in Medway the sun burst thru the clouds and stayed with us for the final leg of the trip.
The ride thru Millinocket was awesome. :People lining the streets cheering, waving flags and holding signs for the Summit Project or stating Maine Heroes are NOT forgotten.
Upon arriving at Twin Pines campground to the sounds of bagpipes, we were lucky enough to meet Heather McGlauflin, the hiker carrying Brandon’s stone. What a vibrant young woman. It wasn’t until after I got home and read her story that I found out she was also a veteran.
As a veteran of the USAF, i was moved by your video. As a father I cannot imagine your loss. As an avid outdoors man, I understood completely Brandon’s need to “decompress” in the Maine woods. How appropriate that the stone comes from a spot where Brandon enjoyed his first fishing adventures. I will always think of Brandon when I am enjoying my favorite fishing hole. And I fish a lot :).
I grew up watching Might Mouse cartoons and after watching your video I can see why Brandon”s fellow soldiers chose that call sign for him. It was probably more appropriate than Brandon knew. MM, though a cartoon character, was a hero . Brandon is also.
As Heather so eloquently stated I know there is nothing I can do to take away the pain in your hearts.Thank you so much for sharing Brandon’s story. I hope and pray I was able to carry a little bit of the weight of Brandon’s loss away for you. Maine heroes are not forgotten.

Garrett Corbin — finishing cyclist in the 2014 Trek Across Maine wrote —
Some of my fondest childhood memories were forged on summer weekends at the camp we used to rent on Green Lake. While my father pulled my younger brother, Brandon, and I on inner tubes behind his boat, another kid around our age, also named Brandon, was out enjoying the lake too.

My dad was on my mind throughout my 9th Trek Across Maine this year, as he used to meet me at the finish line on Father’s Day. Earlier this year, dad lost his fight against pancreatic cancer at the age of 63, and it was a phenomenally tough blow to the many people whose lives he touched. A common refrain amongst friends and family was that he was far too young.

Also in my thoughts, with nearly each pedal stroke, was my neighbor Brandon whom I had never had the chance to meet. SSGT Brandon Silk was, incredibly courageously, fighting on behalf of all of us, on the other side of the planet from Green Lake, when his chopper went down. That was four years ago, when SSGT Silk was only 25.

As is often the case with arduous physical expeditions, the Trek tends to test participants’ mental stamina more than their physical strength. Physically, this year’s ride was more painful for me than past treks, perhaps simply because I’m getting older, perhaps due to the first day being driving cold rain, but either way my knees and ankles were really hurting by the final day. The fact I was enduring physical pain while taking part in an activity I love, cycling, became a trivial matter when put in perspective against the backdrop of the pain our service members encounter on a day-to-day basis. In the ordinary course of their jobs, they put up with so, so much more than we typically do stateside. I’m sure a soldier who has been carrying a pack and other gear would not find the prospect of carrying a stone that weighs a few pounds to be the least bit daunting.

Mentally, the ride was profound this year, on a whole order of magnitude greater than in the past. The tribulations imposed by lung disease had always weighed on me before, because the Trek is a fundraiser for the American Lung Association. Added to that was the deeply meaningful experience of simultaneously participating in The Summit Project. The knowledge I was carrying SSGT Silk’s stone far outweighed the stone’s physical weight. The stone is from a place the Silks and I consider home, and it represents a soldier and son who made the type of difference in the world I can only aspire to achieve. I found myself asking why I was fortunate enough to be riding my bike on a beautiful day when someone who went to the same elementary school as me and eventually decided to act more bravely than I can even contemplate, and gave so much more of himself than I (a relatively altruistic person) ever have, was not so fortunate.

As I’ve discovered before, and have sadly been viscerally reminded of this year, we will never comprehend why so many of humankinds’ best have their time here cut so short. But if we can appreciate that they were able to follow their calling in life and if we can continue to carry the torch for their cause, we can know that they would be both proud and grateful.

To Mark and Lynn, please know that I will never forget SSGT Brandon Silk’s sacrifice, I will be reminded of it whenever I see a mouse, and anytime I drink a Guinness it will be in his honor. I cannot thank you enough for giving the world someone who gave so much back to it.

On June 20th, 2014 I started my first ever GORUCK Challenge in Portland, Maine with 22 people I had never met. For many the word GORUCK means nothing, but for the few who have participated in these events they know how amazingly life changing they can be. The Challenge is an 8-12 hour/20+ mile team building endurance event all while wearing a 30-50lb ruck sack. Many physical obstacles stand in the way of finishing like large log carries, buddy carries, and whatever the Cadre decides to throw at us to make us meld into a powerful team by the end. For me the hardest part was going to be the mental anguish.

None of the weight we carried was more special to me than your son’s stone. In early April I agreed to pick a stone to be the caretaker of for our team weight. It’s hard to admit, but the real reason I chose a stone at all was so I would follow through with the event. At this point in April I had been totally torn down from any happiness I had been enjoying and needed something real to hold onto while I trained. I was as devastated as a man could get. My wife and I had befallen a personal loss and all I was thinking about was how terrible I had it and how nobody else has had it worse.

This is where The Summit Project came into my life. When I chose Brandon’s stone I had no idea how this would change my thinking on a great many things and pull me from the brink of depression to where I sit now feeling confident and more alive than I ever have. To be able to honor your family in such a way was something I could hold on to and never let go of. I was sure to succeed in this Challenge I had signed up for and make sure that Brandon’s spirit and legacy lived on.

When I watched your video for the first time so many things seemed to align in all of our lives that I knew it was fate that brought me to that exact moment. Brandon is a hometown hero from Orono, where I spend my days working at the University of Maine. Mark, you went to the same high school as I did. Lynn, you are a school principal and my wife is an English teacher. Then I read the date of when Brandon passed away: June 21st, 2010.

June 21st was the exact day we would be finishing our event. Nothing, and I mean nothing, was going to be standing in my way to honor all of you as you have given so much and had so much taken away from you.

I trained as hard as I could on the trails behind the campus every day with my ruck and when I could sneak away for hours I would spend my time in Bangor City Forest. Brandon loved the wilderness and I often let my mind slip to thinking about if he had walked those exact steps at some point.

When the arduous day came to go to Portland for the Challenge I finally made contact with you, Mark. When you told me about how you had just gotten off the phone with the Australian Commandos that Brandon helped save when his Black Hawk went down, and that they call you every year to check in, it made my heart melt. To have had such an honorable and wonderful son as yours capture the hearts of those around him, is what every parent wants and I am deeply sorry for your loss.

The Challenge was hard on me physically, but at no point did I want to quit. As a team we all carried the weight of Brandon’s stone at some point, but you were always in my heart. I shed many a silent tear that evening in thought about your loss. I donned my finest Guinness hat for Brandon and watched the sunrise with my new friends as we rucked on through Portland. It never escaped my thoughts that four years ago that day Brandon had seen his last sunrise. My heart was heavy.

When we crossed the last bridge into Portland I carried the team weight in silence the entire way across. When we were given our last task of getting our “wounded” teammates back to the Portland Observatory I knew what I had to do as a final tribute to your family. I volunteered to carry extra rucks and our American flag as I set the pace block by block until we reached our goal. Brandon liked to “go fast” and I gave it my all to bring us back to where we started, while carrying the symbol of what he gave his life for. It was an amazing feeling to let go of myself and my pain for that last 45 minutes and do it solely for Brandon.

You were in my thoughts and feelings the entire time during this event. Please know that it was an honor and privilege to take care of Brandon’s stone. Thank you for letting us shoulder the weight for you for a little while that night.

I had the honor of being a Team Lead during the ANP hike on Oct 4th, 2014. Team Tarn started out as a group of strangers and ended up as a family. We hiked together, laughed together, took care of each other and cried together. The day was rainy and grey, but the spirits of us all were positive and filled with support and determination for this worthy cause. Our hike was up the east side of Cadillac and it included two summits, Dorr Mountain and Cadillac. Where it was slick there was someone to catch you. If it was steep there was a hand held out to help you up. If someone needed a break we stopped for them. We looked out for each other the way a family is supposed to. Family has always been important to me, just as it was to Brandon. It was this connection that helped me make a difficult choice, the spirit stone I was going to carry. These special stones are carved with powerful words that represent the fallen and TSP. They are words like commitment, courage, valor, teamwork and the latest addition family. When I first saw this stone I just knew it was the stone for me. I chose it for the gold star families and how hard it must be to have an empty seat at the table. These courageous people who have the strength to keep going even after having the most heartbreaking of losses pressed upon them. How meeting all of these people and learning about their heroes only reinforced in me just how important family is. I chose this stone because TSP has brought so many people together creating for me a whole new family. As they days drew closer to this event I got more and more excited. I was excited to see the incredible people I had met while I was at Baxter State Park while having the honor of carrying Brandon’s stone. I felt as if I was going to a family reunion! I knew I was truly at one when I felt the warm embraces of the friends I had made at BSP. I tried to share what I felt as I saw the smiles on all of the new faces of people as I welcomed them to TSP. I have often wondered if I was ever going to be able to do something with my life that would really make a difference in the world. I believe that being a part of this project and helping to keep the memory of Maine’s heroes alive has given me that purpose. It is the piece in me that has been missing since I got out of the Marine Corps. I lost something in myself the day I took off my uniform for the last time. TSP helped me to find it again. The energy of TSP is growing. It is spreading like wildfire and warming the hearts of everyone that it touches. I am thankful every day that I was touched by its flames.

I hope this email finds you well. It was so great to chat with you at Vine St School last month; the experience really left me with a smile on my face, as I hope it did you.
I can’t thank you enough for spending time to chat with me about Brandon, show me your husband’s photography, and lead me to the book “Hero Birds”.

As you may be aware, I hiked Brandon’s stone to the top of Cadillac Mtn on 4OCT, as part of a team of incredible hikers involved in a Summit Project venture that day.
In keeping with Summit Project objectives, I am to write a reflection of that experience to post. After having met you, I consulted with David, and decided to send you a private email instead, and to keep things light.

We have talked about some of this already: having family in a neighborhood near yours, that knew you and he, I was lucky to hear many stories of Brandon’s prowess both personally and professionally over the years. Carrying Brandon’s stone on a hike has been on my wish list for quite some time, after my initial involvement in the Summit Project.
As we had chatted about, my draw to hike Brandon’s stone specifically was immense. I was (and am today) drawn to his ability to priortize what was truly important in his life. He loved and served his family, his god, his country, and his beautiful state. He was passionate about Army Aviation, especially Medical Evacuation, something I cannot even describe in words how much I relate to. Brandon loved hard and played hard. He faced trials and tribulations in his life, as we all do, and he used them as a learning experience; he seemed to never let those experiences crush his spirit.

He was an incredible young man, through and through. There are SO many things about Brandon to admire, and I do. And so, I requested his stone to carry to the top of Cadillac Mtn.

On Oct 4th, the weather was not perfect. There was fog and rain, and a chill in the air. I personally was not feeling my best, as I had pain in my bad knee from training for a Physical Fitness test. Honestly, I was worried that my knee would not hold for the duration of the hike. My backpack felt heavy. Our team was slated to climb the hardest of the four trails to the top of the moutain. I talked to the other hikers, who all seemed in great shape. I felt a little unnerved.

As the hike began, I realized how aggressive our climb would be. It was steep, with much wet, exposed rock face. Traversing certain areas were someting of a puzzle-you had to figure out how to safely cross. Again, I felt uncharacterically nervous.

I started to think about Brandon’s stone (which had made me incredibly happy to touch and carefully place in my pack), and what Brandon might think of our hike that day…how Brandon might handle the situation.

I thought about strength and persistance…I knew I wanted to get to the top with his stone, come hell or high water. Slowly, I started to calm. I looked around and noticed how great the mist and fog felt, and how beautiful it looked. It was a day in the Maine woods afterall, right? I started to smile and laugh with the other hikers. I stopped worrying about getting to the top and realized that I simply WOULD. I put one foot in front of the other. I just did what I set out to do, and thoughts of Brandon and my mission that day carried me the entire rest of the way.

At the top of the mountain, we held a short ceremony in which all the hikers gathered around and spoke about the hero stone they carried. I was on the other side of the circle, so I had a keen vantage point to listen to the stories from all the other hikers first. In all honesty, I was taken aback by the emotion some hikers showed while speaking about their particular stones. It was emotional, to be sure, and tears flowed down the faces of some while speaking. (I am emotional, but rarely cry).

I quickly went through my mental checklist of things I wanted to tell the group about Brandon. I felt ready.

As I started speaking about Brandon though, and his passions and loves, something unexpected happened to me…I started to choke up and tears started to flow on my face as well….. I thought, “Where did that come from?”

It is hard to explain in words, but I felt like I made the “connection” with the power of Brandon’s sacrifice. I suddenly felt what was impacting the other hikers in the circle. I felt incredibly humbled and honored to hold his stone and tell his story. It was a truly overwhelming experience.

I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to speak with me about your son, and I am SO THANKFUL for the experience of hiking his stone and telling his story. As I stated in my post to his Facebook page, he is everything heroes are made of, and he will not be forgotten.

I hope to stay in touch, and please do not hesitate to call or write if you desire. The new Aviation Readiness center in Bangor is almost done, and I would love to give you a tour!

Dear Mark and Lynn Silk,
I’m glad I had the opportunity to hike up Bradbury Mountain with my classmates for The Summit Project. Carrying your son’s rock was an honor. This was an overall great experience for me and everyone else on the trip.
My history and English class were both going on the field trip and when I heard about it I thought it would be cool, even before understanding the meaning of the trip. When I heard that we were carrying rocks up the hill for the fallen soldiers I thought it was such a nice thing to do and that it would be an honor.
Hiking up the mountain I did keep your son in mind and what the trip was about but once I got to the top was when honoring the soldiers really meant something. Hearing stories about all of these soldiers really helped me connect and be able to understand what the families of the soldiers must feel. Getting to read about your son before the trip and watch the video of you talking about him really helped me understand what he was like and he seemed like a great person. This made it possible for me to share his story with everyone else on the trip and carry on his story. At the top, I shared who he was and how he passed away in Afghanistan as a result of a helicopter accident. I also shared how I knew his rock was from your family camp and how I could relate because I have a camp that is also special to me.
I am sorry for your loss of such a great and important person in your life, I will not forget his sacrifice.

When I first learned about what the Summit Project was, I was so excited to get to be a part of it. When I first heard about it, I didn’t realize how much of an impact it was going to have on me. My English class and a few World History classes are doing units on War and Literature. We were introduced to the Summit Project as a field trip, who doesn’t like field trips?! But it turned out to be much more than “just a field trip”, it really had an impact on me and got me thinking in ways I had never thought.

Myself, and about 70 other students from Edward Little High School in Auburn hiked up Bradbury Mountain in Pownal, Maine on a very cold and snowy Friday morning. I was honored to carry your son Brandon’s stone. When I watched the video on the Summit Project website that you guys did, I learned that Brandon was courageous and lived everyday to the fullest. When it snowed Thursday night into Friday I was very excited to go on this hike in the snow and carry Brandon’s rock because it showed courageousness and that’s what Brandon was about. “Live it full and live it now.” Very powerful words by Brandon himself. That phrase really had me thinking while I was on the hike too. It made me reevaluate myself, do I really live everyday to the fullest like I should? I came to the conclusion that I do not but I will love by those words from now on.

Finding out Brandon loved sports was awesome. I am such a sports person, it’s a huge part of my life. I dance, play field hockey, and race go-karts up in Richmond, Maine. But I watch every sport out there and love every minute of all it. Football is actually my favorite to watch. Brandon’s bravery and determination to play football without any experience showed that he really had what it takes to fight for our country, and I really think that he did.

When I found out that Brandon’s rock came from his camp, I could make an even bigger connection to him. I love camping, and I happen to have a camp on Sebago Lake. I pretty much grew up there, and spend all my summers at the camp and out on the water. I know the feeling of how important a camp is. So many memories are made at places like that, so I can imagine that Brandon had many memories there and it’s great that his rock came from there.

Brandon was Irish, I am also very Irish on my mom’s side of the family. He was very dependable on calling on holidays and birthdays. Just shows how much he loved and cared about his family. Family is very important to me, and that means so much that he cared so much as well. I truly believe I got the perfect stone, and could make so many connections to Brandon.

I want to thank you for your time, and tell you that I was very honored to be able to honor son like I did. This experience will have an everlasting impression on me, one I will never forget. I would like to participate in other Summit Project hikes, and should I ever be able to meet you, I would be honored for that as well. I’m truly sorry for your loss, but I am thankful that your son was so courageous to fight for our country. He took the ultimate sacrifice, dying for our country. And I thank him for that.

Dear Mark and Lynn,
I had the honor of carrying the Summit Project Stone for SSG Brandon Silk during the Zimmerman Fitness Challenge on the 18th of April 2015. It was a privilege I did not take lightly when I got to carry the stone through the event, as I am a combat veteran myself.
It took me a long time to come to write about my experience with the stone as I normally keep my emotions and feelings towards the fallen deeply buried. I have lost a few brothers in the past during deployments. The one that hit me the hardest is the loss of SPC Jose Torre, one of my best friends. I remember Torre’s death and the rage and deep sadness that came with it and I knew SSG Silk’s family and brothers in arms had gone through the same thing. When I first laid eyes on the stone all the memories and emotions came flooding back and it was all I could take not to cry out during the beginning of the event. Instead of crying out, I maintained my outward appearance and I took all the bottled up emotion and turned it into fuel for the Zimmerman Fitness Challenge.
The Zimmerman Fitness Challenge was almost therapeutic for me. I got to release a lot of the emotions that have been stored away for years in a constructive way. Carrying SSG Silk’s stone was one step towards a healing process for me. Not only did I get to release a little of something that burdens my soul, but the requirement to write about carrying the stone is the first time I have ever talked so plainly about the pain I carry. That too, I believe, will help me towards a better place.
I would like to thank the family of SSG Silk for this enormous opportunity to carry the stone and I would like to thank SSG Brandon Silk for his service. If Brandon can somehow get this message I would like for him to say “what’s up!” to Jose. I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing Brandon, but if he meets Torre I’m sure they will hit it off (although Jose likes Tequila not Guinness).
Sincerely,
SGT Thomas Hayden
(Formerly) C CO BSTB 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division
UMaine Student

I had the honor of coming to learn of your son Brandon, and the privilege of carrying his memorial stone at Baxter State Park this past Memorial weekend. This is now the 2nd hike I have participated in since knowing TSP. The initial hike with TSP was one that I organized with my high school students. It was through that hike that I came to learn of your son Brandon and his zest for life. One of my students carried his stone and shared his story with myself and the other students.

It was the Irish in him that sparked the Irish interest in me. I too am an Irish descendant and immigrated to the United States some twenty years ago. It was Brandon’s lively adventurous spirit, steadfast love for his family, and a passion for the outdoors that I related to. He was strong of character and possessed a determination to see things through like the time he was water boarding and accidentally broke his nose, this reminded me of similar incidents in my own life. It made me smile when I read how he loved “Top Gun” and his humor of being nick named “Mighty Mouse.” I too have always loved that movie.

Your son Brandon had a saying,”Live it full and live it now.” It was this saying that I repeated as I summited the mountain. I knew that my own personal challenges of heights, ledges, and positional vertigo would make summiting the mountain challenging for me, not only ascending but descending as well. It was during these times that Brandon’s commitment to living life at its fullest and living it now helped me persevere. I couldn’t let my fears keep me prisoner and live with regrets. I could not dishonor the credo of Brandon that, “Life was for living.” I carried Brandon’s credo with me and leaned on it at my weakest moments. Miraculously, (and I use this word because sometimes there are no explanations), I ascended the mountain with relative ease and descended with greater ease, and for some reason I could feel no weight on my back, I felt weightless. Had Brandon lifted my weight of fears and carried me through my worst moments? I feel that he did.

His passion for life, his Irish humor and his commitment to family are qualities of Brandon that I will always remember. I am truly sorry for your loss and the sacrifice that both you and Brandon gave so that we could all sleep peacefully at night. I give thanks everyday for the freedoms and safety that my family and I are blessed with, and for people such as your son who made and continue to make this happen.

I shall keep you and your family in my prayers. God bless and be well.

Dear Mark and Lynn,
This past Memorial Day weekend while hikers carried tribute stones up Owl Mountain I stayed at Twin Pines at a part of RBE the (Remain Behind Element). As the tribute stones of Maine’s fallen were being carried up that mountain with the stories each of the heroes they represent in the hearts and minds of the hikers carrying them in their packs, I did something different. I have had the honor of carrying a tribute stone. Carrying Brandon’s stone was one of the precious moments of my life. Having a chance to learn about your son and the kind of man he was and the life he lived gave me the most amazing gift. It made me want to be a better person. It made me want to live my life to the fullest and to make sure that it was a life worthy of his sacrifice. I am thankful for that opportunity every single day. What made that time with Brandon’s stone so special (for me) was having had already made a connection with his amazing mother.

As a member of RBE my experience was different. This time I was not just learning about the fallen and their sacrifice, I was connecting with the families. I was able to spend quality time with the people who have lost someone, look into their eyes, hear their stories, smile with them, laugh with them, cry with them, and share time with them. It brought me back to the front steps of Fourteenth Street School, to that first moment when I made the connection that you were a Gold Star mother. I had always known you were an amazing principal, but there was a shift that day. I saw something else. The strength and courage I saw in you, the pride and faith…

Being a part of RBE has made this whole experience come full circle. I could finally see the heroes in the faces of their loved ones looking back at me. I could see the traits that had been passed on to them, not just their looks, but what had been in their hearts. I was able to understand who James Zimmerman was because of the time I to spend with his beautiful parent’s. He became that much more real to me, just as Brandon was real to me because I knew and felt connected to you. Each person who walked passed me with whom I had never had the chance to speak with at an event I would stop and engage in a conversation with. I couldn’t help myself. I had to “know” every one; it felt like it was the only way I could truly “know” every hero being honored by TSP. By the time the weekend was over I felt a so much more connected to my TSP family. I felt a part of something so much bigger than myself thankful the opportunity to learn about such amazing men and woman with strong ties to Maine and the loving families who raised them.

On 03 August I had the privilege of taking part in the TSP Lincoln. When I first spoke with Justin about carrying a stone, I was not sure I really understood the full scope of what I would be undertaking as well as the emotions. The tribute walk itself was awesome experience. Many people came out to pay their respects for the fallen heroes. The stories we heard touched each one of our hearts. They will remain with me forever.

I ,too, am a United State Army veteran who served with a medevac unit and share Brandon’s passion for flying. This is what really made this walk very personal for me. Those were some of the happiest times in my life. There is nothing like breaking the bonds with Mother Earth and spending hours upon hours among the clouds.: ” So others may live’ is motto that the Medevac lives by. His dedication to his “guys” and those they cared for is something I totally understand. Also, I found that Brandon had lived in Calais, where I now reside. Again this made this personal for me. I wanted to be able some how payback some of the debt that Brandon had made with his ultimate sacrifice.
I felt very humbled to carry his stone and tell his story so others would know just how special he was. His unwavering dedication to his family, brothers in arm and our country is something that will stay with me for as long as I live.

Two weeks have passed since I carried Brandon’s stone up Cadillac Mountain. I hesitate to write these reflection letters because I feel like somehow I’m going to lose my connection to “my soldier”. Writing this letter is my last real tangible responsibility surrounding my involvement in The Summit Project at Acadia National Park 2015. We spend lots of time up front researching and readying ourselves mentally and physically. The day of the hike is a mixture of anticipated and completely out-of-nowhere emotional moments. And today, as I write, I try to make you understand why you and Brandon will never be forgotten, even by those who never knew him.

On paper, Brandon and I look nothing alike. I’m a 50 year old mom of 7 year old twins, don’t have an ounce of Irish in me, wouldn’t touch a Guinness with a 10 foot pole. Yet, when I watched the video you made, I saw bit and pieces of traits we share. Actually, what I saw was traits that we share that I want to improve in myself. I have no problem living my life to the fullest. What pulled me in was Brandon’s devotion to the people he loved. There he was, across the oceans doing the unimaginable, yet he found his way to a phone and made his calls to you. Blows me away. I’m sure you remember every word from that last phone call on Fathers Day. That is how Brandon is going to help me. I WILL be better at reaching out to my father and sister. It’s so easy to do…I have no excuse.

Thank you for raising such an honorable and lovable young man. I really can’t imagine what you have gone through and continue to go through. Thank you for sharing some of your stories. Brandon will stay with me.

My name is Conner Lambert and I just participated in the summit project on Thursday May 19, 2016. I decided to participate in this project because I felt the need to make this climb and carry the stone of sergeant Brandon M. Silk mainly to give up 6 hours of my time, sweat, and blood to talk about and remember those who have gave their time, their sweat, their blood, and their life to defending the United States of America and the freedom we all have. Also, to remember them as they were, not to remember them as a name on a wall destined to be long forgotten. In short, to keep their memory alive.

The climb started out pretty easily, but I could feel a burn beginning in my lungs five minutes in. Then in about seventeen minutes, my asthma started doing its unwelcome work, but I kept going because I’m used to pushing myself beyond my limits. About fourteen minutes after that, it was getting harder to breathe with every three steps and my legs were screaming in protest of me pushing myself, but I kept going. Because every time I wanted to take a break I’d think of the things that Brandon went through and kept going. So, in way, I could understand a little bit of what Brandon went through and he still kept going. It took at least an hour to get to the Fire warden’s cabin and that’s when the going got tough and me and my little group had to stop more often. After the fourth time, I took a small break, it was like trying to climb with jello for legs and arms that had a tendency to lose their grip. But I made it along with everyone else, we had lunch, took a few pictures of the most beautiful view of the world I’ve ever seen.

When I was researching facts about Sergeant Brandon M. Silk, I sadly admit that I was expecting to learn about an average person. I was so wrong. Brandon was a lot of things, but not average. Brandon was 25, he was a person who lived life in the moment and to not “smell the roses”. And Brandon was always doing things and he was always moving, always doing something, and helping people. But most of all, Brandon was very faithful to his family and that no matter what, Brandon would call his family on every holiday. Also, Brandon was very committed to serving his country and he died doing what he believed in. And it was a great honor to carry his stone up Big Moose Mountain.

Thank you, Conner for honoring and remembering Brandon through your hike. Brandon loved the outdoors and if he was hiking the mountain with you, he would’ve had you laughing the entire time. Thank you again

I just got back from a run. It wasn’t great. My leg cramped up and I wanted to stop. But then I thought of Brandon, and the other two men (David and Tyler) whose stones I have hiked with to summits of Owl and Cadillac. I thought of their determination, commitment and tenacity. It helped me to keep going.

This example, so small in the grand scheme of things, is how your loved one’s spirits continue to live on with each hiker – beyond the actual hike and into and forever in real life.

Each and every person who participates in one of these events is forever changed. We gain a richer perspective, become more humble; more empathetic.

As the program continues to flourish, the family continues to grow. Brandon is a part of that family. He will continue to be introduced to more friends and continue to influence more people. His living memory is helping to make all of us better, stronger, and more appreciative of the lives we are able to live.

Please know that in Brandon’s passing, he still works the same magic he did in life: setting an example for following through on a passion, showing the utmost dedication to the cause of goodness, and being a model for living a purposeful life.

I had the honor carrying Brandon’s stone first to Flat Mountain Pond and then to accompany it up Mount Tom in NH. I helped to arrange a group to carry honor stones up a 4,000 footer in NH for Flags on the 48 in remembrance of 9/11. Since other groups were already carrying the flags, our group chose a heavier burden of carrying these stones. My husband and I had the opportunity to hike the day before as well. We did a peaceful walk out to Flat Mountain Pond. As I walked, I thought a lot about all the things you mentioned in your video. My husband is a veteran of the Navy Submarine service, so I remembered waiting at the house for any news from him as you had waited for Brandon’s call. His commitment to your family was amazing to hear about. I loved when you talked about how fitting this is a LIVING memorial and how it symbolized Brandon’s zeal for life and the outdoors. I placed his rock near the edge of Flat Mountain Pond and envisioned you finding his stone on the side of the cove near your cottage. Then I started to see ripples in the water caused by the bugs on the surface. It represented to me how Brandon’s memories keep moving out into the world as each different person carries his rock and learns about his sacrifice. I keep small mementos as bookmarks in my AMC hiking guide. I plan to put the picture I have of Brandon’s rock near the pond in there. I can remember him as I plan every hike but then also grab the picture and stow it in my pack to carry his legacy on other journeys.

The following day, a group of 12 of us hiked to the top of Mount Tom- one of the lower 4,000 footers in NH. With 12 people and 4 rocks, we shared the load. However, Mother Nature had a cruel plan in place that day with drenching rain, lighting and wind “hitting the century mark”. We debated about the hike but I kept thinking about all the sacrifices made and how could a little rain stop us?? I am sure that Brandon spent many nights in full pack in the rain. We let the thunderstorms pass and started out in some drizzle. As we climbed, the weather cleared more and more and as we reached the top, the sun was out and the view was great. We all had made it inspired by the fallen soldiers we were honoring. It has been an honor to carry Brandon’s rock for this past weekend.

My wife and I had the honor of carrying Brandon’s Summit Project Stone during a trek up Mt. Tom in New Hampshire for the annual Flags on the 48 Memorial Hike.

While we have participated in the Flags on the 48 multiple years, this year’s hike was made extra special by learning about your son Brandon and carrying Brandon’s stone to the summit.

While on the summit of Mt. Tom we took a moment and shared with our group of fellow hikers, who too had carried memorial stones, what we had learned about Brandon through listening to your stories. From your stories it was obvious that Brandon truly loved what he did, regardless of where he was. It was an honor to carry Brandon’s stone during this hike.

I had the honor and privilege of carrying Brandon’s stone and story during my very firstTSP event on October 1,2016. I was told I was on team “bubble” hiking one of the harder trails that day. I looked around before we started the hike and realized I didn’t know any of my teammates (except one), and that we were simply a group of strangers coming together as a team to honor something much larger than us. We did just that. Team Bubble was confronted with multiple physical and emotional challenges throughout the day as we made our way to the summit, but we came together as a strong team and accomplished the mission, one step at a time. While we worked to conquer the actual trail, I was able to reflect on why we were really there. I reflected on what I had learned about Brandon prior to Hike Day. So many wonderful things stood out about Brandon, but one thing that really stuck with me during the journey was a quote that I read about him: “He was one of those rare individuals that could make a bad day good and a good day that much better” (former colleague Jared Adams). I think this stood out to me so much because it’s not often that we run into people who have such profound, positive effects on other human beings. We need more people like that and, simply put, the world lost a real special man the day we lost Brandon.

It’s hard to express in words what I was really feeling that day, as it was such an overwhelming internal feeling. I feel like I made a connection to Brandon – almost like Brandon was with us on the hike. It was a pleasure to summit in Brandon’s honor. The experience and his memory is one that I will never forget.

On November 20th, 2016 I had the honor and privilege to carry the stone and story of Army Staff Sargent Brandon Silk. The TSP hosted hike was held at Bradbury Mtn. in Durham Maine and we enjoyed the company of 3 Naval Academy midshipmen and a few brothers of one midshipman. The small group met early to learn select and learn about our fallen hero and then embarked on a wet hike in the woods.
Staff Sgt Brandon Silk was not a burden to carry that day and I was happy to be taking a walk in conditions that were less than optimal. It is my part to contribute in lieu of serving and will never compare to the contributions and sacrifices that Brandon and his family made for our country and its citizens. Thank You!
I learned that Brandon was known for a can do, positive attitude and was often found smiling throughout his day. His love of the family camp and memories are held in the hearts of many Maine family members and friends. Brandon was a leader – even as potential death approached. I read a story that as his helicopter was crashing he was yelling to the pilot to bring the nose up to have a chance at saving some of the occupants. The courage to think of others when you are in peril is very admirable. Family, smiles and courage is how I will remember and champion Brandon’s story. Rest easy Army Staff Sgt!

My Name is Seth I am a sophomore at Nokomis Regional High School. It was an honor to carry SSG Brandon M. Silk’s stone to the summit of Little Bigelow. The weather was very nice and the hike was great there was a lot of great views like Flagstaff Lake, and Sugarloaf Mountain. What I learned about SSG Brandon M. Silk was he was in the army and he was assigned to the 5th Battalion 101st Aviation Regiment 101st Combat Aviation Brigade 101st Airborne Division. He was killed June 21 near Gaza Ridge,Afghanistan when the Black Hawk helicopter he was traveling in made a hard landing. Also he was 25 and he was from Orono Maine. It was an honor to carry SSG Brandon M. Silk’s stone up to the summit of Little Bigelow.

On July 6, 2017 I participated in a Summit Project hike up Cadillac Mountain in Acadia with a group of eight women. I was honored and privileged to carry Brandon’s memorial stone on the hike. When I received the list of soldiers from my friend who organized the TSP hike and saw that Brandon was from Orono, I requested to carry Brandon’s stone because I attended church in Orono and graduated from nearby Old Town High School. As I read about Brandon’s interests, character, family, and military service I gained an understanding of what he was like as a person and soldier. On the summit of Cadillac I shared with my fellow hikers what I had learned about Brandon in a special ceremony to honor all the soldiers.

On the hike I thought a great deal about Brandon’s deep commitment to serving his country as an Army Staff Sargent and helicopter crew chief. I reflected on his dedication to his fellow soldiers when he chose to return to Afghanistan in order to work along side those whom he had trained rather than take a desk job. I thought about Brandon having served four tours of duty and felt appreciative of his hard work and dedication to serving his country as a member of the United States Army. I am truly thankful for Brandon’s military service. I felt proud to pay tribute to Brandon on The Summit Project Hike.

Another thing that I thought about on the hike was Brandon’s positive attitude towards life. From reading about him from those who had known him in high school and in the military I was struck by Brandon’s big personality and being so full of life. I talked about these qualities with the other women on the hike during our ceremony.

I am very glad that I took part in The Summit Project hike to honor Brandon’s life and service. I am thankful for his outstanding service and his ultimate sacrifice to our country. I am truly sorry for your loss. I will always remember my experience of carrying Brandon’s memorial stone on Cadillac Mountain as part of The Summit Project.

“Live Life Full and Live It Now”. I could not think of a more appropriate tribute to Army Staff Sergeant Brandon Silk whose memorial stone rested safely in my backpack as I was making my way up Cadillac this Fall with my TSP brethren. Throughout all my research and appreciation for the tribute his Mom and Dad, Mark and Lyn spoke of, I routinely pondered those words with every step I made.
My name is Alain Ouellette and my wife Louise, and I make our home in Fort Kent. Aroostook County is a special place for us. We chose to make our home to raise our children. It is a special place…a sacred place.

As I carried Brandon’s memorial stone to the summit of Cadillac, ruminating over what Mark and Lyn spoke of, I was reminded of Brandon’s family life and it plainly brought to light the very traits we as parents all strive to instill in our own children…a deep attachment to one’s home and family, a genuine interest in those around us, and a personal commitment to serving a cause far greater than oneself. The embodiment of all such qualities were what made Brandon special to his family and to all those who had the privilege of knowing him.

I do not have a military background and so my TSP experience naturally leads me to learn of, and love a fallen hero’s home and family life as well as the world around him. These are formative experiences that help fashion the traits and qualities a soldier needs in order to make a positive difference in the world.
As a father of four great young men and my daughter, Sophie, the day I have always been fondest of is Father’s Day. My learning of Brandon’s departure occurring hours after he spoke with his Papa on Father’s Day was a moment I will hold deep in my heart. My Father’s Days will be that much more meaningful as a result.

I leave my brief but heartfelt tribute to Army Staff Sergeant Brandon Silk with the same words his Father spoke of his son’s memorial stone…” You are carrying a piece of Brandon, you must live life large and climb at a fast pace.”

Take heart, Mark and Lyn, Kayce and Breydon…your words touched me deeply, and thank you, Brandon for this great honor.

Dear Mark and Lynn-
I wanted to write to you to let you know that I had the sheer honor of carrying Brandon’s stone at the most recent Summit Project event that took place over Veterans Day weekend. I have to tell you I think he is still mysteriously working his magic and living up to his nick name of “silky smooth”. Leading up to the event I had another soldier’s stone, although I had asked for Brandons’ when I was first presented with the opportunity to participate. The day before the event Brandon came through and his stone was available and I was able to carry it and tell his story. I will say the one thing he didn’t come through on was the weather. Both the hike and the run were very cold, but having his stone to carry helped me brave the cold conditions.
I would like to personally thank you for picking a small stone. While some had to muscle larger stones for the hike and run, I was able to comfortably carry Brandon’s in my hand, so thank you. Additionally, I would like to thank you for preparing the YouTube video and sharing some of Brandon’s life with me and the others who may watch it. I was amazed with all the connections Brandon and I share. Top Gun favorite movie, Bob Marley favorite comedian, love of Green Lake, followed the Red Sox and Patriots, loved to ride motorcycles, the connections were endless between him and I.
I know it has been seven years since his passing and on the outside you both look wonderful, I know you carry the pain of not having him. The day of the hike I read a quote to the group titled “Dear Veterans” which I feel part of it is fitting not only to Veteran’s but to you as Parents who have lost a Veteran. Part of it read, “We will never fully understand the depth of your scars” which couldn’t be truer. I never will be able to understand them nor do I wish to experience the pain first hand. I hope it brings some relief by knowing someone that knew Brandon was able to carry his stone. I was truly humbled, honored but most of all I was proud to have been able to share his legacy with the group. Mark, I’m equally as honored to call you my friend. As I close out my reflection letter, I make one request to you Mark and it is this, next summer we take the motorcycle ride we have talked about for years and share a beer in Brandon’s memory. Brandon’s name lives on and I promise to not let his legacy die as time passes.

On Sunday, May 27, 2018, I had the honor and privilege of carrying the stone and story of Army Staff Sergeant Brandon Silk for The Summit Project hike at Baxter State Park.

Brandon was a young man who knew who he was. Self-driven and confident, with a big personality, he wasn’t shy about going after what he wanted. From childhood, when Top Gun was his favorite movie, he knew that helicopters were his passion and that the military was his calling. Upon his high school graduation, Brandon enlisted in the US Army and served four tours with the 101st Airborne working on Black Hawks – just as he had dreamed about and had planned to do. He exceled at his work and, more importantly, was passionate about it. At one point, he turned down a promotion to a desk job so he could continue working on helicopters and training others to do so. When Brandon was killed in a Black Hawk in Afghanistan on June 21, 2010, he wasn’t on a required deployment. He opted to serve a fourth tour so he could be there alongside the guys he had trained.
Brandon was only 25 when he died, the same age I am now, but he had a profound appreciation for the world around him. He was passionate about Maine, having grown up here and spent time on his family’s camp on Green Lake in Ellsworth. As I researched Brandon, one of the things that struck me most deeply was his favorite colors: mossy oak and blaze orange. Two colors that represented and surely reminded him of what he loved – fishing, hunting, and being outdoors. Brandon took time to look and truly see his surrounding and the joy they offered. He did not take life for granted.

At 25, Brandon knew who he was. He knew what he loved. He knew what he was passionate about. And he had found his true calling. For many, these things take a lifetime to figure out.

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.” -George Patton.

I am so honored to be a part of this memorial event and to have carried Brandon’s stone to the top of Cadillac Mountain. A couple of my friends have done this event before and told me that there was a need for more hikers for this event. I was unsure if I would be a burden to a team because I haven’t hiked many mountains recently, they told me I’d be fine as this is more of a team building hike. I then went home and applied to be a hiker. I was excited a few days later to find an email saying i was excepted and that I would be carrying a stone for Brandon Silk. I immediately felt a connection with this soldier as I too have a son named Brandon, who it turns out is only a couple years younger than this outstanding hero.
I was truly blessed to to able to share his memory and story with others. He was a credit to Maine and his battalion and it is very sad that he wasn’t able to return home to his family. His story and the stories of the other fallen heroes is so heart wrenching but so important to be heard and remembered.

To Brandons family:
I want to extend to you my sincere respect, appreciation and admiration for not only your sons service but your continuation of carrying on his name via the Summit Project. I had the opportunity to read about him and I can’t comprehend the amount of morality and dedication to his country he felt. Thank you for raising such an amazing person!

Hello, my name is Ethan Bubar. I am a 16 year old at Nokomis Regional High, which is located in Newport, Maine. My JROTC class the last couple years has participated in the Summit Project, and this year as a sophomore, I had the opportunity to participate, and carry the stone of Brandon Silk to the top of Tumbledown Mountain. When we were given the list of fallen soldiers that we could pick from, I didn’t pick Brandon. When Colonel went to pick up the stones, there were a few that were not available. Mine was one of them, so I had to switch. I ended up with Brandon’s stone. You could say that it was meant to be. Here is why.
A few days before hiking the mountain, I went into Bangor to do my driver’s test to get my license. I was nervous to say the least. When we entered the Bureau of Motor Vehicles in Bangor, on the wall was a framed, remembrance picture of Brandon M. Silk. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. I did my drivers test, nervous as can be and I passed! Later that night, I found out that my stone had been switched to Army Staff Sergeant Brandon M. Silk. I sat there reading the name Brandon Silk, wondering why that name sounded familiar. It finally hit me that it was the name on the service remembrance plaque on the wall of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. I feel as though Brandon was with me that day, and he is the reason I passed my test. So when it came time to hike his stone to the top of Tumbledown Mountain, you can bet I’d make it to the top!
I learned a lot about Brandon during this project. Reading about him, he reminded me of myself. Loved to hunt and fish and do anything outdoors. He ran track, which is my number one sport so I found that interesting. He was a family man and never missed a birthday of a family member. He loved his family and his country, and was a big fan of the movie “Top Gun”, which I think is a cool reason why he joined the service.
To sum this all up, it was my honor to carry Brandon’s stone and legacy to the top of Tumbledown with me, and share his story with my fellow peers.

On 09/28/2018 I had the honor and privelage to carry the summit stone of Army Staff Sgt. Brandon M. Silk to the summit of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.
Brandon was only 25 when he passed on June 21, 2010 near Gaza Ridge, Afghanistan, when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter in which he was traveling made a hard landing.

Brandon was born in Alaska on Elemdorf Air Force Base and moved to Calais, Maine with his family as a child and later to Orono, Maine while in high school. He enlisted once out of high school and was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, KY. Brandon was on his 4th tour having previously served in Korea, Iraq and one previous tour in Afghanistan. Brandon did not have to go on this tour, but he did so because he did not want to leave the men and women that he had trained behind. That was the kind of loyal and dedicated person that Brandon was.

The day of the hike started early form me. I needed to be on the road by 4am to meet the group at Smugglers cove. It was a beautiful fall morning and the skies were clear and full of stars. It was a start of a beautiful Maine fall day with the sun slowly rising in my rear view mirror with bright pinks and oranges. How lucky I am to call his place home I thought to myself. I know first hand why Brandon loved this state so much,

I was full of mixed emotions as I drove. This is the first Summit stone I have had a personal connection to as Brandon was the child of a friend. I have done the circle at the top of the mountain before and the wave of emotions that hits you is overwhelming with the soldiers that you didn’t know personally. How would this be for someone I knew? Would I be able to convey to the others what kind of person Brandon was in life? Could I even come close to explaining how much of a dedicated son and brother he was to his family? How much he loved his country and how proud he was to serve? No matter how much research and planning you do it never goes as planned.

As I entered the campground it was a bussle with activity as we found our teams and said hello to old friends and what would soon be new ones. We all boarded our busses for our ride to our start points. As I sat on the bus going over the stories of Brandon that I had learned while doing my research and talking with Mark (his dad) I couldn’t help but smile and think how he would have enjoyed a day like this with his love of Maine and all things outdoors. Maine was where he always came to decompress from the stresses of life and he would find himself again on one of the many lakes and in the Maine woods. I stared out the window watching the bright oranges, yellows and reds of the trees giving their final show before the long cold winter an reflected on how as an avid outdoorsman Brandon would have appreciated the view as well.

As we off loaded the bus and scurried around getting our packs and gear ready and giving one last check before we headed on our way. I could only think of Brandon’s call sign “Mouse” scurrying around working on his helicopters at all hours of the day and night. Checking and then rechecking to make sure everything was perfect. He loved working on his Black Hawks and he even turned down a promotion and a desk job to continue doing what he loved. Brandon worked like he lived. Hard and fast.

As I did a quick check of Brandon’s stone and made sure that it was tucked snugly in my pack I thought of Brandon’s childhood and the special memories of the family camp on Green Lake in Ellsworth where he spent many hours as a child. This place was special to the whole family and they shared so many memories of their times together at camp. Brandon’s mom chose the perfect stone from that camp. The stone is actually a piece that had broken off a larger stone where Brandon use to stand for hours catching small sunfish as a child.

Our hike started and my thoughts wondered back to my conversation with Brandon’s dad the previous day. He said Brandon took the events of the 911 attacks personally and he was highly irritated by all that had occurred. He feels Brandon decided to join the military that day. Brandon was going to do all that he could to avenge the events of 911 and he felt the military would be the best way to do it. No matter how hard his mom and dad tried to convince him to try at least one year of college prior to enlisting Brandon never waivered in what he felt he had to do and that was to enlist and serve his country.

Brandon was a family man. He always called home….ALWAYS. Every special event and holiday he found a way to call home. He would hike miles to find a phone to call home. Sometimes he would even barter to get a chance to call home. He would run off and hide in the tall grass in an open field to sneak a call home in. He never missed a special occasions. It is so ironic that his last call home was on Fathers Day just hours before he passed away.

It was once said that Brandon was one of those rare individuals that could make a bad day good and a good day much better. He was a homebody and a comedian. He loved his family, his country and his job. He died doing what he loved. Thank you for your service Army Staff Sgt. Brandon M. Silk and for paying the ultimate sacrifice for us all.

On Sunday, November 10, 2019, I had the honor and privilege of carrying the stone and story of Army Staff Sergeant Brandon Silk for The Summit Project at the Veterans Remembrance 4 Miler.
I often have felt a little guilty in not being able to attend Blue Hill Mountain Hike on the previous day, but had a good feeling that I was taking up the second half of this combined event for another hiker who could not make the 4 mile run. (This is my 3rd year running this 4 miler with a stone.)​
Today was the 2nd time that I have had the privilege to carry Brandon’s stone this year. The first was carrying him to the summit of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park back in September.​
As I packed Brandon’s stone in my pack for the run next to the second stone I was carrying that day I could not help but to reflect on a life cut down at the young age of 25 when the Blackhawk he was riding in made a hard landing. A man with a true love for his family, friends and country. A man that no matter how far away from home he was, he always reached out and kept in touch never missing a special occasion or holiday. ​
Soon we were off for our 4 mile run. As I trudged along the course I thought of my conversation with Brandon’s dad earlier in the year. How proud he was of his son and how he had expressed to me how the events of 9-11 had sparked something in Brandon that made him want to serve his country and try to right the wrongs of that day. I am so thankful for the brave souls like Brandon. The ones who try and right the wrongs of the world and have the courage to stand up no matter what the cost. ​
Thank you for your service and sacrifice Army Staff Sergeant Brandon Silk. You will not be forgotten.

Mark and Lynn- Again this year I had the great fortune of carry Brandon’s stone for the TSP hike up Blue Hill Mountain for Veterans Day. Unlike the last time I participated in this hike it was not freezing cold ,nor was it raining, but it was a somewhat of a brisk morning. This would be the largest number of people Ive hiked with, although not the largest event i’d participated in with TSP. The largest event would is the motorcycle convoy in May of this year. On that day I didn’t carry Brandon’s stone but was certain because of his love for motorcycling he was present.

At Blue Hill Mountain parking lot as I gathered Brandon’s stones I was brought back to the surreal feeling of what I was participating in. Something I truly cherish. As we introduced ourselves I found myself among first time participates and others who had participated numerous times. The energy around the group was great as always.

After our first hiking break I found myself at the front of the group leading them up the mountain. This caused me to reflect on Brandon and how he was a leader, how I was certain he probably was the person in the front of the pack as they took on the task of the day. These thoughts would stay with me throughout the hike as a lead both up the mountain and then the return hike as well.

During the hike there was a very young boy in our group. He was proud to tell me how he had hiked over 100 hikes. A task I thought was somewhat remarkable for someone of his age. This too caused me to pause and wonder how many hikes Brandon had been on as a small child. I knew from my research that he loved the outdoors. This also caused me to wondered how many hikes he had been on as a soldier.

As we reached the summit and completed the photo opportunities I had the chance to listen to the numerous stories of the other Veterans who had all been taken from us way to soon. I had the opportunity to tell Brandon’s story so all could hear about him as well. How he loved his family, how he wouldn’t miss a special occasion, how he loved to stand on the very rock I was carrying to catch fish as a small boy. In addition, I was able to share my personal relationship between the family and myself. How we had gone to college together, worked together and still maintained our friendship. I urged people to search out Brandon’s name and to view the video you’ve made as it was a much better representation of what a great person Brandon was and what a great family you are.

At the complete the hike and prior to putting Brandon’s stone away I said a brief prayer. This prayer was for all in attendance, for Brandon and for the Silk family.

Thank you for providing TSP with a stone so not only I, but many others can carry on Brandon’s memory. It was a true honor for me and provided memories I will cherish for a lifetime. I am forever grateful for Brandon’s service and sacrifice.

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“I can honestly say that, prior to TSP, I had never participated in any event like this before. It was truly incredible.”